PTB Writing Challenge 2013:The Road to Forks
by Lindaloo.kgo
Summary: The road to happiness is paved with gravel;bumpy and unforseeable. What about the road to Forks?


**Project Team Beta 2013 Challenge, Week #1-yes, I'm starting a little late. Better late than never, right?**

**These will all be in the Twilight fandom, and they will all be part of same story, although I may not mention any of the little "adventures" they have, in separate chapters. These characters are all human.**

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"Can you go any slower, Bella?" Edward chuckled, looking on as Bella struggled to pull herself up to the next group of rocks. She hadn't exactly worn the right shoes for this particular activity(although Edward secretly thought they were cute), and so she was having even more difficulty than was expected.

"Can you hold on for _one second?!"_ Bella exclaimed, exasperated. Edward had said that exact sentence so many times during their hike that she thought he might get stuck that way. She smiled briefly as she imagined him having to say that for the rest of his life. It would certainly be annoying-maybe she could sic him on Mike.

She finally managed to pull herself up to the next cluster of boulders, and Edward followed easily behind her. _Just a few more yards,_ Bella thought to herself. _Should be easy. Right?_

She was attempting the last set of rocks when one quivered, then gave way under her weight. Edward, who had been standing behind her for exactly that reason, caught her easily. Her elbow caught him in the ribs, and he stumbled. "Easy, Bella," he said quietly.

He released her once he was certain that she was fine. She immediately stepped forward, turning around to face him. "Are you okay, Edward? I didn't mean to-"

"I'm fine, Bella. Are you?" he said, arching an eyebrow.

"I...yeah, _I'm_ fine." she replied, glancing at herself as if to make sure she hadn't lost any limbs during her little tumble.

She turned back to try to climb the rocks again, but Edward stopped her. He climbed the rocks himself, then held his hand out for her to grab. She took it, and he easily lifted her up to his level, with no help on her part. She sat on a small plateau at the edge of the rocks, crossing her legs to sit Indian-style.

Edward sat next to her, as she pulled two plastic water bottles from the brown leather bag slung across her body. She handed one to him, then broke the seal of her own. She gazed up at the azure sky above her.

Edward rubbed his finger against the soft velvet of the small box in his pocket. "Do you ever think about it?" he asked Bella, his brow furrowed. "You know, life?"

She seemed to be in deep thought for a moment, then turned to him. "I suppose...everyone just needs a purpose. Something to live for. If you don't have that, then what _do_ you have? Maybe money, or possessions. But if you aren't happy...then what else is there worth being?"

He smiled. "So is that why you saved that cat? To feel like you had a purpose?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes-and the canary, those three children at the mall, that litter of kittens, and those puppies I saw in front of the supermarket."

"You forgot Rosalie."

"I did, didn't I? Well then, add that to the list." she sighed tiredly, gazing out across the ocean laid out in front of them. "It's just...it's what I do. What I _love_ to do. Helping Rosalie find someone to spend her life with was a way to help, so I did it." Bella knew Edward worried about her; that one day she would run to save someone, and hurt herself along the way. But she couldn't stop-helping people was her addiction, it was how she got her rush. It wasn't a bad thing, really, but she hated for people to worry about her.

Edward suddenly felt angry-why didn't Bella have someone to spend her life with yet? Because he hadn't asked yet, that's why. He had meant to as soon as they reached the top of the mountain, but he had been slightly distracted. Gathering up his courage, he rose, and turned to face Bella.

"Edward?" she asked, perplexed.

"Bella, I want to do this right," he said, kneeling in front of her. Her eyes widened infinitesimally as she recognized the pose. "I've already asked your father, and he gave us his blessing. So, Bella, will you give me yours? Will you spend your life with me?" He said, pulling the black box out of his pocket, and opening it. "Bella, will you be my wife?"

A million thoughts raced through Bella's mind, in that tiny moment between the words "my" and "wife", none of them comprehensible to even herself. When he said that final word, the word that sealed the deal, her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates.

"Yes!" she squealed, throwing herself at him, her black hat flying from her head and off the cliff, falling into the ocean's oblivion. Edward chuckled softly, the serious expression gone completely from his features. Tears of joy streamed down Bella's face, and Edward squeezed her closer to him.

"I love you, Edward," Bella said quietly from his shoulder.

"I love you too, Bella," he said in reply. "But do you want the ring or not?" He smiled, his chin resting on her back.

She pulled away, smiling sheepishly, a furious blush gracing her cheeks. "Now that you mention it..." she mumbled.

Edward picked the velvet case up from where it had fallen, and took the ring out of it. Bella offered him her hand, and he took it in his own. He carefully slid the ring onto Bella's pale finger, the diamond glittering in the sun.

"Oh, Edward..." she breathed in awe, examining the diamond with wonder in her eyes. "It's beautiful."

"It's nothing, compared to you." he answered. He almost cringed as the clichéd line came out of his mouth, but he soon realized he didn't need to worry. Bella smiled softly, before sitting back down. He resumed his former position, and she laid her head on his shoulder.

"So..." she said, moving her hand so she could see the diamond on her finger sparkle. "Do you think we could get everything done for July?" She had a hopeful glimmer in her eyes, as if her life depended upon her getting married.

Edward just shook his head, laughing. "I'm not sure, Bella. I've never been married before-I don't know how long this will take."

"Dammit," she muttered under her breath. Then, louder, she said, "What about August?"

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